The Return: Midnight Chapter 43

Elena?Stefan verbalise quietly. Could you ask me to come in?You expect to invite me in if you want to to talk Invite him in? He was already in inside her heart. She had told the Guardians that every matchless would cook to accept Stefan as her colleague of some a year.It didnt matter. In a low articulate she utter, stimulate in, Stefan.The windowpanes locked from your side, Elena.Numbly, Elena unlocked the window. The next moment she was encompassed by warm, strong arms in a desperate, fervent embrace. solely the moment after that, the arms dropped, divergence her frozen and lonely.Stefan? Whats wrong?Her eyeball had adapted and by the starlight through the window she could see him hesitating ahead her.I pott It isnt Its non me you want,he said in a rush that sounded as if it came through a compact throat. But I wanted you to know that that Meredith and Matt are retention sightly. Comforting her, I mean. Theyre al okay and so is Mrs. Flowers. And I popular opin ion that you They put me to sleep They said they wouldnt put me to sleepYou fel somnolent, lo Elena. While we were while lag for them to s last us home. We al watched over you Bonnie, Sage, and I.He was Stillspeaking in that formal, different tone. But I purpose Well, that you might want to talk tonight, too. before I I left.He put a finger up to stop his lip from shaking.You swore you wouldnt leave meElena cried. You promised, not for both reason, not for any length of time, no matter how noble the causeBut Elena that was before I on a lower floorstoodYou Stilldont understand Do you know His accomplish flew to scotch her mouth and he put his lips to her ear. Lo Elena. Were in your house. Your aunt Elena felt her eyes widen, although of course subconsciously she had known this al along. The air of familiarity. This bed it was her bed, and the disseminate was her be passionatenessd gold and white bedspread. The obstacles shed known how to avoid in the gamey the tapping at her windowshe was home.Like a climber who has negotiated an impossible-seeming section of rock, and almost fal en, Elena felt a tremendous rush of adrenaline. And it was this or, perhaps, simply the power of the chouse that flooded through her that achieved what she had been so clumsily hard to reach. She felt her intellect expand and come out of her body. And meet Stefans.She was appal ed by the hastily swept-away desolation in his spirit, and humbled by the surge of love that flooded every part of him at the touch of her mind.Oh, Stefan. Just interpret that that you can forgive me, thats all. If you forgive me I can live. Maybe you can even be happy with me again if you just give it a lesser time.Im already happy with you. But we have all the time in the world, Stefan reassured her. But she caught the shadow of a dark thought whisked quickly out of the way. He had al the time in the world. She, unlessElena had to choke back a laugh but then clutched at Stefa n utterly. My backpack did they take it? Where is it?Right beside your nightstand. I can reach it. Do you want it?He reached in the darkness and pul ed up something lowering and rough and none too pleasant-smel ing. Elena thrust one frantic hand inside it while Stillholding on to Stefan with the otherwise.Yes Oh, Stefan, its hereHe was beginning to fishy but he only knew when she drew out the bottle labeled Evian Water and held it to her cheek. It was icy cold, although the night was mild and humid.And as it effervesced violently, it glowed in a way that no ordinary water did.I didnt mean to do it, she told Stefan, suddenly worried that he might not like to touch base with a thief. At least not at starting signal. Sage said to get the water from the Fountain of Eternal Youth and Life into bottles. I dug up a pornographic bottle and this little one, and somehow I stashed the smaller one in my backpack Idve put the big one in, too, but it didnt fit. And I didnt even ciphe r approximately the little one again until after they took away my Wings and my telepathy.And a genuine thing, Stefan thought. If they had caught you oh, my lovely love His arms squeezed the breath from Elenas lungs. So thats why you were suddenly so eager to leaveThey took almost everything else supernatural about me,Elena whispered, placing her lips jam to Stefans ear.I have to live with that, and if theyd given me a chance Id have agreed for the sake of Fel s Church if Id been logical She broke dark as she suddenly realized that she had been literal y out of her mind. Shed been worse than a thief. Shed tried to use a lethal attack on a group of mostly innocent people. And the worst thing was that a part of her knew that Damon would have understood her madness, while she wasnt sure Stefan ever could.But you dont have to change me into you know,she began whispering frenetical y again. A sip or two of this and I can be with you forever. Forever and for forever Stefan She stopped, trying to get her breath and her mental balance.His hand closed over hers on the cap. Elena.Im not crying. Its because Im happy. Forever and ever, Stefan. We can be together, justjust us twoforever.Elena, love.His hand kept hers from twisting open the bottle.It isnt what you want?With his other arm, Stefan pul ed her tightly to him. Her head fel forward onto his shoulder and he rest his chin on her hair. Its what I want more than anything. Imdazed, I guess. I have been ever since He stopped and tried again.If we have al the time in the world, we have tomorrow,he said in a voice muffled by hair. And tomorrow is time enough for you to kill to think it through. Theres enough in that bottle for maybe four or five people. Youre the one whos going to have to decide who drinks it, love. But not tonight. Tonight is forWith a sudden rush of joy Elena understood. Youre talking about Damon.Amazing how difficult it was to simply say his name. It almost seemed a violation, and y etWhen he could talk like this for a moment to me, he told me what he wanted, she sent. Stefan stirred a little in the darkness, but said nothing. Stefan, he only asked for one thing before hewent. It was not to be forgotten. Thats all.And were the ones who remember the most. Us and Bonnie.Aloud she added, I wil never forget him. And I wil never let anyone else who knew him forget him for as long as I live.She knew shed spoken too loudly, but Stefan didnt try to quiet her. He gave one quick shudder and then held her tightly again, his face buried in her hair.I remember, he sent to her, when Katherine asked him to join her when we tether were in Honoria Fells crypt. I remember what he said to her. Do you?Elena felt their souls intertwine as they both saw the scene through the others eyes. Of course, I remember too.Stefan sighed, half-laughing. I remember trying to take care of him later in Florence. He wouldnt behave, wouldnt even Influence the girls he fed on. Another sigh. I t hink he wanted to get caught at that point. He couldnt even tactile property me in the face and talk about you.I made Bonnie send for you. I made sure she got both of you out here, Elena told him. Her separate had begun to flow again, but slowly gently. Her eyes were shut and she felt a faint smile come to her lips.Do you know Stefans mental voice was startled, astonished I remember something else From when I was very young, maybe three or four years old. My make had a terrible temper, especially right after my mother died. And back then, when I was little, and my father was raging and drunk, Damon would deliberately get in amongst us. Hed say something obnoxious and well, my father would end up beating him instead of me. I dont know how I could have forgotten about that.I do, Elena thought, remembering how frightened she had been of Damon when hed first turned human even though hed put himself in between her and the vampires who wanted to Discipline her in the Dark Dimen sion. He had a face for knowing exactly what to say how to look what to do to get under anyones skin.She could feel Stefan chuckle faintly, wryly. A gift, was it?Well, I certainly couldnt do it, and I can manage most people, Elena replied softly. Not him, though. Never him.Stefan added, But he was almost unceasingly kinder to weak people than to strong ones. He ever so did have that soft spot for Bonnie He broke off, as if frightened hed ventured too near something sacred.But Elena had her bearings now. She was glad, so glad, that in the end Damon had died to save Bonnie. Elena herself needed no more proof of his feelings about her. She would always love Damon, and she would never al ow anything to diminish that love.And, somehow, it seemed fitting that she and Stefan should sit in her old bedroom and speak of what they remembered of Damon in hushed tones. She planned on taking the same thing up with the others tomorrow.When she final y fel asleep in Stefans arms, it was hours after midnight.